Notre Dame football: Kelly opens fall camp with quarterback questions

Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly speaks during a season-opening news conference on Friday, Aug. 3, 2012, at Notre Dame. The Irish kick off the season with a Sept. 1 game against Navy in Dublin, Ireland. (South Bend Tribune/JAMES BROSHER)

SOUTH BEND -- Head coach Brian Kelly opened the fall camp for Notre Dame by holding his season-opening press conference Friday at noon.

With the starting quarterback being the biggest unanswered question heading into the season, Kelly fielded many questions about the competition at the position.

Kelly will start a new quarterback in the season opener after this week’s announcement of the suspension of Tommy Rees for one game because of a May alcohol-related arrest. Junior AndrewHendrix, sophomore Everett Golson, and freshman Gunner Kiel will all be trying to find themselves at the helm in Dublin, Ireland against Navy on Sept. 1.

Kelly said he’d like to be able to have a starter lined up after a week’s worth of practice in order to divide the snaps in practice accordingly, but he knows the process could take longer to work out. He’ll have to balance a patience for the quarterbacks to develop and the need to find stability at the position.

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“I want it done the right way,” Kelly said. “We have to have a quarterback that we can trust.”

A two-quarterback system has not yet been ruled out, Kelly said.

“I think everything is on the table. I don’t think we’ve taken anything off the table at the quarterback position,” he said.

After consecutive eight-win seasons in his first two years as head coach, Kelly was pressed to define what is considered a successful season in 2012.

"Success for us is winning in everything that we do -- on the field and off the field. … We know full well that success is going to be judged by wins,” Kelly said.

Kelly was asked about FieldTurf as the playing surface in Notre Dame Stadium, which he said was coming in an interview on WSBT’s Weekday Sportsbeat on Thursday, and back-tracked a little on what he said. Kelly clarified that he hopes FieldTurf is coming, but that the decision is above his pay grade, with athletic director Jack Swarbrick having the biggest say in the decision.

Freshman KeiVarae Russell, who played mostly running back and wide receiver, has been slated as a cornerback to start fall camp to have six scholarship players at the position. Fellow freshman Davonte’ Neal is listed as a wide receiver that will wear No. 19.

On the injury front, safety Austin Collinsworth was named as the only player that is sidelined heading into practice. Collinsworth is recovering from shoulder surgery on a torn labrum in his left shoulder. Kelly said the normal timeline of recovery for Collinsworth’s injury could have him back by late October or November.